Questionnaire with Eshan Sharma

So, for this month featuring author is " Eshan Sharma"

Can you tell us a little about yourself? Your profession and your hobbies!!

I was born in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh on 20th June 2000 and grew up in Kanpur. The earliest memory I have of me is of being an avid reader, which motivated me to focus on my thoughts and penning them down. It is not only my hobby but also my passion to write. I'm a blogger, writer, and a poet who can write in both English and Hindi. I enjoy learning new languages. School magazines provided me with a huge platform for writing. I started writing at the age of eleven – my first ever poem was on his grandmother. I'm very much interested in painting, cooking and singing as well.

Questionnaire with Eshan Sharma

How did you first get involved in with writing, are you an imaginative person?

As I said earlier, I'm a reader. I read a lot and write down whatever thoughts I have about it. I first started with Hindi poetry and then switched to English essay and article writing. At the age of 16, I thought of getting myself published. And that's how ‘The Teacher I Never Met’ came into existence. Readers are showering their love and support for the book. Some of my articles are published by the United States UNICEF on their online platform, ‘Voices of Youth’. And yes, I'm imaginative. But I would like ‘Creative’ over imaginative.

What do you find most challenging about your writing?

The most challenging task of writing is ‘Writing’ itself. We have to keep on Writing. Many times we lose our track while writing. If you can get through that trail of confusions and distractions, then it’s a cakewalk.

What do you do when you are not writing?

I don’t have a routine for writing. Whenever I feel like writing, I write. I have allotted an hour a day for writing. But, as I am a student, and due to exams I can’t give much attention to writing but at the same time, I have to strike a balance. So, when I don’t write, I read something else or research for my next upcoming books.

Where do you see yourself in the next 6 months, and 5 years down the road?

I see myself in a good college for my Bachelor’s degree in next 6 months. After 5 years I see myself pursuing Master’s degree and appearing for Civil Services exams after writing 3 or 4 more books.

How do you keep coming up with material/content for your story?

‘The Teacher I Never Met’ is not a story. It is a journey; a journey with a teacher I never met, Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam. So, it is my personal experience, what I have penned down in my book. For other books, I keep one thing in my mind that whatever I write must motivate myself and each and every single person. So, that's how I keep coming up with content.

Any specific tips you have for new writers who want to make it big in the world of published books?

I would like to tell the entire upcoming new writer generation to not bother about publishing beforehand. First, write a manuscript with full dedication and hard work. Then, if you are happy with it, go for publishing. You might get rejected from big shots of publishing industry but remember, even JK Rowling was rejected many times by various publishers. So, keep writing and enjoy what you are writing. Love your work and show full dedication towards writing. It’s a good gift and writing is like worshipping the Almighty. Be original, be unique.

What’s the best thing a writer can give to his readers?

The best thing a writer can give to his readers is a good book and a good reading experience, a memory to cherish by the reader.

A lot of people are interested in writing for the money earning potential. What are some tips for people interesting in making money from writing? What are some realistic expectations in regards to what can be made?

This is a good question. If you are writing a book for the sake of earning money then please don’t come to this industry. Writing a book won’t fetch you much money. Royalties are generally very low than expected and if you think we, the authors are much richer, then you might be wrong. Money earning should not be the motive for a true writer.

What motivates you most in life?

My vision for the youth of this world motivates me. My mission of inspiring 356 million youth of this nation motivates me. My guru’s dream of INDIA 2020 motivates me. My own desire to be unique motivates me. Each and every youth is a motivation for me.

What is the story behind the name of your book?

It is an interesting question. I have been getting many compliments on the title. The title reflects most of the story in just one line, the summary of the story. ‘The Teacher I Never Met’, Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam. I never met Dr.Kalam in real life but I saw him from a distance like 75-100m, while he was visiting IIT Kanpur. I experienced some kind of ray of wisdom, some radiation of knowledge coming from Dr.Kalam. That’s a spiritual experience which is hard to explain in mere words. So, after this incident, I made him my guru, my teacher. That’s why the name of the book is ‘The Teacher I Never Met’.

What are your views on increasing plagiarism?

Plagiarism is a thing which is very much popular in these days. It is like stealing something. Plagiarism is an offense and those who are doing they must stop. I believe Plagiarism is a shortcut and a result of laziness of an individual, assumingly writer. But I believe, true authors have a degree of wisdom and talent which doesn’t allow them to copy and paste. As per Wikipedia: “Plagiarism is the "wrongful appropriation" and "stealing and publication" of another author's "language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions”. It must stop.